Amelia is Sick
by darlingamelia
Summary: Amelia Shepherd has a rough day at work. Feeling sick and anxious all day, she tries to believe that it's not a big deal. Until something happens in the O.R., that leaves Amelia feeling even more uneasy and anxious. Thankfully, one of her sisters notices she's off today and does everything she can to help Amelia feel better.
1. Illness

I wonder how many nights it will take for me to finally be able to sleep properly. Tonight is not that night, though. I've been woken up by the sound of loud rain thumping on my windows. Figuring I won't be able to go back to sleep anyways, I go downstairs and make coffee for myself, Maggie and Meredith, and I get an early start on the day. Meredith must've heard me downstairs because only a few moments later I see her walking down the stairs.

"Amelia, what are you doing up already? You okay?" she asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just couldn't sleep. Coffee?"

She smiles a soft smile and nods. I hand her a mug of coffee and take a sip of mine.

"I'm going to head into work and finish some things up before everyone comes in," I say. I grab my purse and walk out the door before I allow Meredith to say anything in response.

Arriving at work, I get an uneasy feeling in my stomach, almost like someone's punching me. I ignore it, figuring it's just because I didn't eat breakfast, and get out of my car and head inside. The first person I see is Owen.

"Hey you, what are you doing here so early? You're usually the late one," he laughs and puts his arm around me.

"Just thought I'd come in early and finish some of my post OPs," he must've noticed the bland look on my face and the dry tone I used.

"You okay?" he asks.

"I'm fine, thanks, just a little tired."

"You sure? Something is bothering you Ams, I can tell. Spill," he pries.

"I don't feel too great actually," I admit. "A little nauseas. But it's probably nothing, I'll be fine. I'll see you later?" not letting him respond as I did with Meredith, I go to the attending's lounge, forgetting about the post OPs, and rest my eyes for a little while. A little while must've turned into a few hours, because I'm woken up by Meredith gently shaking my shoulder.

"Amelia, are you sure you're okay? You seem really tired, why don't you go home and call in sick for the day?" she asks. I know her intentions are great but I'm not going home. Not because of this.

"Mer, I told you I'm _fine_. I was just resting my eyes before my big surgery today," I smile, gather up my things, and walk out.

Hours later, I'm in a surgery on a little boy who just hit his head too hard while playing tag. This little boy is someone's child, someone's friend, someone's grandson, and I have to do everything I can to make sure he walks out of here that way. The surgery was going fine, I was 4 hours into it, only 3 more hours to go. But then my legs started to feel a little tingly, and I became extremely light headed. I tried to shrug it off but Meredith, and Dr. Wilson, who was on my service today, both looked at me as I stepped back and took a deep breath. I was doing everything I could in the moment to _not_ vomit inside of this little boy's head. Jo must've noticed where this was heading.

"Dr. Shepherd, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Wilson," I hesitate for a few seconds, then decide that that was my best answer and I should just push through. It seems as though pushing through is only my brother's thing, I guess. Because a few minutes later, I put down my scalpel and suction, and look at Meredith who was also looking at me, concerned. She raises her eyebrows in a way that silently asks me if everything is okay. Everything is not okay. Not right now.

"Meredith take off my mask," I say, since my hands have blood on them and that seems pretty unsanitary. I only have ten more seconds until I vomit through this mask, onto the O.R. floor.

"What?" she asks, her eyes suddenly grew larger.

"Take off my mask. Now," please, Meredith. I asked you and not Jo in the first place because you were closer but if I'd known that you'd take seventy years to do this I would've asked someone in the gallery. Oh God. The gallery. I look up, Dr. Warren, Dr. Robbins, Dr. Pierce, three interns I've never seen before, Dr. Edwards, and Dr. Hunt all have worried looks on their faces and I see them muttering words to each other. Great, a show for this puke disaster that's about to happen. By the time I've stopped rambling thoughts in my head, Meredith rushes over to me and unties my mask as quickly as she can. Right when the mask comes off past my mouth, I hunch over and get rid of that coffee that took me 30 minutes to make, and last nights dinner, that took Meredith 2 hours to make. I feel Mer's hand rub circles on my back, her motherly instincts coming in. I can only imagine the looks on the faces in the gallery right now. When I'm done, I notice someone brought in a chair for me to sit on. I reluctantly sit, and take a drink of the water a nurse was handing me. Out of breath, I look up at Meredith who looks very concerned and confused.

"Dr. Wilson close up, Dr. Grey assist," I say, eyes watering, still out of breath. Then I walk out of the O.R. and find the nearest bathroom.


	2. Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been sitting on the floor in a bathroom stall for over forty minutes, still breathing heavily, and still vomiting. What the Hell is wrong with me? I rest my head on my arm that is resting on the toilet seat, and I hear the bathroom door open. Great, just _great._

"Amelia, are you okay?" it's Meredith. The last person I want to see right now, I'm still so embarrassed by what happened in the O.R., I literally don't want to see any of those faces again.

"I'm fine, thanks, you can go," I say, trying to be as nice as possible but realizing I just sound like a complete bitch.

"Open the door," she says. I figured it'd be rude to just say no, but I don't know what else to say, so I slowly move my arm up from under my head and twist the lock to the stall door, then lean back down on my arm. Meredith is standing tall, and looks down at me and instantly the face she makes when one of her kids gets hurt comes on to play. She squats by the door, knowing the stall is too small for both of us.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" her face lights up a little, knowing it would make herself feel better if she did anything to help me.

"You can help me find a new job at a different hospital where I don't have to see Dr. Wilson or those taunting faces in the gallery ever again," I say with a light chuckle but immediately realizing that she didn't find that funny.

"Amelia, it's not that big of a deal, people get sick in O.R.s all the time," I hold up a hand to stop her, position my face back over the toilet, vomit, wipe my mouth with toilet paper, then look back at her.

"Sorry. Continue," I say blandly. She hands me my bottle of water that was near my feet.

"Anyways, they'll all forget about it tomorrow, they'll find something else to talk about. Promise," she says, hoping she helped but in reality didn't do anything helpful.

"Thanks," I say, only trying to make her feel better about herself for trying to help me.

"Are you going to get sick again? I'll drive you home, and you can go to bed. I called in sick for you today and tomorrow," she says and I sigh. I hate missing work for silly reasons. But, knowing that I might be contagious I didn't want to put my patients at risk.

"Yeah, okay," I say while I stand up slowly. My head immediately shoots strong pains all over it, and I shut my eyes closed tightly.

"You alright?" Meredith asks.

"Just a headache." She helps me walk out of the bathroom and successfully walks me to her car without me throwing up again. Once home, she gives me soup, crackers, and puts a movie on for me as if I'm Zola and couldn't do it for myself. I appreciate it though, no one ever took care of me like this when I actually _was_ Zola's age. I don't know what I would do without Meredith.


	3. 107

_Amelia's P.O.V._

It's 3:37 in the morning, and I'm woken up by the cold sweat dripping down my forehead. I thought I was over being sick, but _apparently_ , I was wrong. I lean over the side of my bed and grab ahold of the blue trashcan Meredith set out for me the night before. I throw up the chicken noodle soup I had last night, and then dry heave for about ten minutes. I must've been loud without noticing because I hear a knock on my door. I set down the trashcan and lean back on my bed, sighing.

"Come in," I say, my voice scratchy and throat raw. Maggie's head pokes around the door. Her face goes from tired and confused to tired and concerned.

"Are you okay?" she asks a little too loudly and I scrunch up my face a little. "I thought you were feeling better last night! Do you want anything?"

"I'm fine," I say, turning to my side and pulling the duvet over my shoulders. I'm _freezing_.

"Do you have a fever?" Maggie asks, inviting herself into the room.

"I think so. I have all of the symptoms. I'm fine though, really. Go back to bed, Maggie," I say, just wanting to be left alone. She leaves my room and walks across the hall to the bathroom. I hear her sort through some things in there, then about three minutes later she comes back with a thermometer. Before I can even protest, she's in front of my face and practically shoving the thing in my mouth. I sigh, roll my eyes, and with no effort to fight back, open my mouth.

 _Maggie's P.O.V._

We wait in silence for the thermometer to beep. I can tell Amelia is getting worse, just by looking at her. And I mean that in the nicest way possible. She's paler than usual, her voice is strained, and the snarky and sarcastic comments she usually makes are no longer within her.

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _Beep._

 _107._

My eyes widen, making sure I'm reading this number right considering it's dark in here. _107._

"What? What is it?" Amelia asks, sitting up.

"Oh, yeah. It's 98. You're fine, just go back to sleep. I hope you feel better, Ams," I lie and walk out the door, thermometer still in my hand. I make my way to Meredith's room quietly, careful not to wake her kids. I wait at the closed door for a few seconds, then open it. Meredith rubs her eyes and looks obviously annoyed that I'm waking her up.

"Mer, it's Amelia," I say. She's still trying to wake up.

"W-What? Amelia? Is she alright? Did she get sick?" She asks, now fully awake and alert.

"No, I mean yeah, I mean-," I take a breath and recollect my thoughts. "Yes, she did get sick, but she's fine now. And no, no she is _not_ alright. Her fever is 107 Mer. And I didn't tell her because I didn't want her to worry I-" I get cut off.

"She what? 107? You didn't tell her? Maggie, what the hell? She could die with this high of a fever," She quickly sits up, puts her slippers on, and walks out the door to Amelia's room. Amelia was falling asleep, and when the door opened, she shields her eyes from the bright hallway light shining in.

"What now? I'm fine, please, please, just let me sleep," she says.

"Your fever is at 107. We need to go to the hospital. Sleep in the car, let's go," Meredith says sternly, like a mother.

"It's-My-What? It's just 98, I don't know what yo-,"

"Maggie lied. Let's go," Meredith says, quickly exiting the room leaving Amelia looking confused with her jaw hung open. She looks at me and I mouth 'I'm sorry'. She gives me a furious look, then stands up, too quickly. She grabs onto the wall and readjusts her eyes. I look at her and hold my hands out, thinking she was about to fall. She continues walking down the hallway holding onto the wall.

"Amelia, you're dizzy, you can't be walking like-" I say.

"Yeah, I know. I'm fine, I just need to get to the car," she replies.

"Hurry up you two," Meredith says standing by the door, holding Zola's and Bailey's hand, while grasping the handle of Ellis's stroller. All of her kids are in their pajamas. Amelia took two steps down the stairs, and I notice something inside her _click_.

 _Amelia's P.O.V._

I'm fine. I can make it to the car. Don't be dramatic, Amelia. 10 more steps. Just _10 more steps._ I begin walking down the staircase, when black and blue dots start swarming my vision. I hear Maggie and Meredith yell something, and then, just like that, everything goes black.


	4. Beeping

**AN: Thank you guys so much for the nice reviews! I'm so glad you're enjoying this story so far, and it's nice to see that I have people following along with me as I write it. Also, please please please forgive me: I am writing what I think fits best for this story, and Amelia's symptoms I've described earlier somewhat make sense to what she ends up being diagnosed with, but some also might not make sense. I'm not very smart with medical terms, other than what I've seen on GA, so please forgive me for butchering this. -darlingamelia**

 _Amelia's P.O.V._

Beeping. All I hear is beeping. _Beeping. Why?_ I remember waking up in the middle of the night, Maggie coming in, and then Maggie leaving. So why do I hear beeping? I frantically dart my eyes around this hospital room. I'm in a gown. _I'm_ the patient this time. My eyes make their way to the corner of the room, and I see Meredith sitting on a chair filling out charts. I see Meredith. Good, this means I'm not in this hospital bed because of memory loss. She sees my eyes filled with anxiety and confusion. She stands up and walks toward me.

"Hey you, are you feeling okay?" she asks. I'm not sure if she's asking because she genuinely cares, or because she needs to write it down on my charts. I sigh, shakily, and nod. She gives me a quick smile with her lips and sits on the edge of the hospital bed.

"What-What happened?" I ask. "What's going on?"

"You don't remember?" she says, concern growing on her face. I shake my head no, and wait patiently for her to explain.

"You fell down the stairs," she pauses, waiting for some reaction out of me. "You were sick? You had a 107 fever? The nurses managed to bring it down to 103, but it's still not great." I sit silently, my mind thinking about a million different things.

"Amelia, I'm so sorry for your loss. We would've helped if we'd known, I-" My mind stops and I feel my face go numb.

"My what?" Meredith puts her hand on top of mine and tilts her head, like a confused puppy.

"Your-Your baby? You didn't know? Oh my God. Amelia. We did every test when you got here to see what could have been causing all of this. We ran an ultrasound to see if there was any bleeding in your belly. There was. But there was also a baby," she takes a breath and starts to continue, but I raise my hand up to stop her.

"A baby?" I ask. How could I not have known I was pregnant? Owen and I weren't even trying for a baby. Oh my God- I killed my baby. I fell down the stairs and I _killed my baby. Again._

"You were only eight weeks, it's natural for you to not have known. I'm so sorry this is the way you had to find out, Amelia. I'm _so sorry," she says._

 _Meredith's P.O.V._

I feel terrible. Not about myself, but for Amelia. She doesn't deserve this. No one does. I thought she at least _knew she was pregnant._ I haven't even told her the bad news about herself yet.

"Amelia," I say, reaching out to grab her hand but she pulls it away.

"Don't. It's fine, I'm fine. Thanks for telling me," she says. I figure now is not the time to tell her. She just wants to be left alone.

"Okay. Again, I'm so so-,"

"It's fine," she says, cutting me off. I walk out the door.

 **AN: As always, reviews are appreciated! You can always tell me what you'd like to see happen in the next chapters, or what you would like me to write a new story about. Thanks for taking the time to read, review, follow, and favorite! -darlingamelia**


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